• An Indian HAL Tejas fighter jet crashed during a demonstration flight at the Dubai Air Show on Friday, killing the pilot.
• The crash occurred around 2:10 PM local time, shortly after the jet appeared to lose control.
• This incident marks the second recorded crash of the Tejas aircraft.
• The Indian Air Force has expressed deep regrets and is conducting an inquiry into the crash.
• Emergency response teams managed the situation quickly, allowing the airshow to resume shortly after the incident.

An Indian Tejas fighter jet crashed during a demonstration flight at the Dubai Air Show on Friday, resulting in the death of its pilot. The crash occurred around 2:10 PM local time, shortly after the aircraft lost control and dived into the ground, sending a massive fireball and thick smoke into the air, according to the Indian Air Force (IAF) and eyewitness accounts, as reported by South China Morning Post and AA.

The IAF confirmed that the pilot sustained fatal injuries and expressed its deep regrets while standing "firmly with the bereaved family in this time of grief." An inquiry has been initiated to ascertain the cause of the accident, as reported by Los Angeles Times and Channel News Asia.

The crash is the second recorded for the HAL Tejas, a key aircraft in India’s efforts to modernize its air force. The Tejas, an indigenous lightweight fighter built by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), has been directly involved in bolstering India's defense capabilities, especially in the context of regional tensions with China and Pakistan. This crash and other recent incidents cast a shadow over its reliability, noted CBS News and Al Jazeera.

Emergency response teams quickly arrived on the scene, and firefighting efforts were underway to manage the fire. Despite the crash, the airshow resumed with other flying demonstrations an hour and a half later, reports Los Angeles Times and CBS News.